LOWER GWYNEDD — “Pay You Back With Interest” was a hit single by the Hollies back in the 1960s but the phrase also could have been used as the motto for Wissahickon High’s field hockey team when it played Springfield-Montco Tuesday in a rain-soaked home game.

The two teams are unquestionably the best in the Suburban One League’s American Conference this season. The Spartans held the upper hand coming into the match because they knocked off Wissahickon in a home game earlier this season.

The Trojans not only got their “paybacks” in Tuesday’s game on their artificial turf field, they paid the Spartans back with interest.

Wissahickon posted a 3-1 win over Springfield to put the two teams in a tie at the top of the American Conference standings — each team with one loss. In Tuesday’s contests, the Trojans outshot their guests 27-3 and had a 16-0 advantage in penalty corners.

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When they met earlier in the season on the Spartans’ grass field, Springfield logged a 3-2 win. The two teams will be the favorite in each of their remaining conference games. If they win out, they will finish tied for the conference crown — even though Wissahickon has the advantage in totals goals in head-to-head competition.

The Spartans got off to a good start Tuesday when Juli Cardamone scored the game’s first goal with 10:55 left in the first half. The Trojans needed a quick goal to equalize — and to snatch back the momentum. They got it when Jackie Hobbs scored at the 9:18 mark.

“I just self-started, dribbled in and took a reverse shot,” said Hibbs. “I was trying to go for the right side.

Hibbs’ goal gave Wissahickon the momentum. The Trojans already had the motivation.

“We were really pumped for this game,” said Hibbs. “We knew we needed to win this game if we wanted to tie for the conference championship.”

The game was deadlocked at 1-1 at halftime. It didn’t stay that way long after play resumed in the second half. Just over two minutes into the half, Wissahickon’s Emily Gallagher scored off an assist from Kara Miles.

“Kara took a shot and it was bouncing around,” said Gallagher. “I was on the left side of the goal. The goalie was out of the goal and I just one-timed it in.

“I think we played really well today. We’ve been waiting for this game for awhile. We started thinking about it right after that game when they beat us on their field.”

Angela Virtu, the soul of the Trojans’ defense, said, “Today, we were really ready for this game. When we played them before, it was one of our first games and our younger players weren’t ready yet.

“And, it was on a grass field and we’re a turf team. Today, our speed and playing on our home turf were definite factors. This was one of our best defensive efforts. We played to our potential. We left it all out on the field.”

Wissahickon coach Lucy Gil, whose team is now 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the American Conference, said, “Angela’s skills are great and her decision-making is awesome. She sees the field and places the ball so well. Her hits are powerful and deceiving.”

Even though the Spartans were light in the shots-on-goal and penalty corners categories, they hung right with Wissahickon on the scoreboard. Springfield was still just one goal away from equalizing until the final stages of the game.

The Trojans finally got the insurance goal they were seeking for so long when Lindsay Anderson beat Spartan goalie Kim Machalette with 2:42 left in the game.

“The plays started with a corner,” said Anderson, a senior. “Melanie (Fry) inserted the ball to Angela (Virtu) and Angela hit it to Jackie (Hibbs). I always play on the pads so I was right where I was supposed to be — at the right time. When Jackie hit it, I went to it and one-timed it into the goal.”

Gil said, “I was pleased with the way we played today. Lately, we hadn’t been playing as aggressively as we wanted. Today, we moved to the ball a lot better. Our girls passed and worked together really well.”